A Walking Holiday in Peru is Unlike Any Other

If you should be bitten by that bug that demands you take to the streets, trails, paths and winding routes solely on your own two feet, the world will change for you. It is no longer marked by the concrete highways or airborne arcs that circle and envelop global borders, but becomes a place of abundant opportunities. It's a place of step-by-step exploration of hidden nooks and crannies you never imagined existed.

It is hard to choose the best place to experience and exploration by foot, but Peru offers things no other place in the world can give you.

The Inca Heritage

Where else can you take a walking holiday in the heartland of perhaps the greatest walkers of all, the Inca? A civilization as iconic as they are mysterious, the Inca empire straddled a great deal of central and northern South America, based in Cusco, in the now Peruvian Andes. Renowned for their innovative farming techniques, political absorption of various empires, and propensity to carve out paths for their feet in the magnificent grandeur of the Andean mountain chain, the Inca have left trails for modern shoes to fill. To trek the Andes in their footsteps is an experience like no other.

Machu Picchu

The jewel of these treks is no doubt the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. Long has it taken pride of place in the itineraries of ardent trekkers. Your walking holiday in Peru will provide you an experience you will never forget - one that is truly beyond compare. To gaze upon the placid wonder of Machu Picchu is a once in a lifetime opportunity coveted by many. The Inca Trail is one of many paths you can take to this world-renowned icon, but however you visit, your time spent amid the stone ruins and mountainous mists of this lost city will mark your traveller's spirit powerfully.

The Amazon

Beyond the low-hanging clouds and mighty inclines of the Andes lies another wonder for avid walkers and trekkers. The Amazon is a jungle unlike no other, and people the world over have heard of its fame and seen images of its tenacious, wild, and incredibly rich and diverse ecosystems. Yet another unique boon of taking a walking holiday in Peru is your invitation to explore this incomparable place. From the Inca Andes to the balmy Amazon teeming with wildlife and unique tribes, few places on Earth offer the trekker so many cultural and natural riches.

The Local Culture

While the Spanish Conquest left but ruins and memories of the Inca culture, its heart beat on and filled the veins of the emergent nation of Peru with its own vital colour. For this reason, a walking holiday in Peru is utterly unique - not only because you can traverse the ancient roads and stroll through unparalleled natural surrounds, but also because you can dip your feet into a festive modern culture unlike any other on Earth. From its food to its diverse social customs, Peru has so much to offer.

Tony Maniscalco is the Marketing Manager for Ramblers Worldwide Holidays. Join us on a walking holiday to see scenic locations & landscapes at the best value prices. We offer over 140 guided group walking holidays in over 60 different countries.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.